For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been found living in Michigan.
On Wednesday, state biologists confirmed the existence of two cubs on private property in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula.
“It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said Brian Roell, a large carnivore specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild.”
Cougars, also called mountain lions, are native to Michigan, but were hunted out of existence in the early 1900s. In recent years, sightings of the adult cats have been on the rise as the Department of Natural Resources has verified seeing 132 adult cougars in the state. According to the DNR, DNA testing has only confirmed male cougars which are thought to be mostly transient – dispersing from western states like South Dakota.
The sighting of these spotted cubs changes that. The cubs are believed to be seven to nine weeks old, and were verified from photographic evidence taken March 6, by a local resident. The cubs were not seen with their mother, and have not been spotted since.
“Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now,” Roell said. “We don’t know where they are or if they’re even alive. Mother Nature can be very cruel.”
Cougars are endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den.
Note: Points North has several episodes about cougars in the Great Lakes states. Listen to "The Cougar Conclusion" and "Not Always the Apex Predator" for more.
